
Art Investigators
Where: National Gallery of Art | National Mall, DC
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Free
This weekend’s sessions of Art Investigators, the National Gallery of Art’s drop-in program for kids ages 4-7, will explore works by Constant Troyon. Young art museum-goers will learn about his art, then use that as inspiration to create a work of their own. Sign-in takes place in the West Building Rotunda, starting at 10am on Friday and Saturday, and 11am on Sunday. Be aware that you may not get an early time slot and will have time to fill before your session, so plan accordingly. Read a KFDC review of the series back when it was called Stories in Art (it’s an older post, but still relevant, as the program is very much the same).
Dog Days of Summer Family Festival
Where: National Postal Museum | Union Station Area, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Join the Postal Museum for the Dog Days of Summer Family Festival to get to know Owney the Dog (famed four-ledge friend of the USPS), and learn about the role animals play in our postal system to help transport and protect mail. Fun activities for all ages includes a pet adoption fair, an Amtrak Police K-9 demo, scavenger hunts, story time, crafts, and a variety of games and challenges. Read more about the museum in this KFDC post.
Serve Up Some Tennis Action
Where: William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center | Rock Creek, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, gates open at 9am
Admission: Ticket prices vary
Enjoy the on-court excitement along with some special events as the Citi Open Tennis Tournament swings into action this weekend. Saturday is the first day of qualifying rounds as well as WTEF Family Day with lots of fun activities especially for kids. And qualifying rounds continue on Sunday.
Tanabata: The Japanese Star Festival
Where: Hillwood Estate & Gardens | Upper Northwest, DC
When: Saturday, 2pm
Admission: $18/adult, $5/child
Tanabata, the Japanese Star Festival, celebrates the legend of Orihime, the weaver princess, and Hikoboshi, the herder, lovers separated by the Milky Way who are allowed to meet just once a year on one day during the summer months. Celebrate the holiday at Hillwood through storytelling, live music, crafts, and more.
Reserve tickets in advance.
National Dance Day
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Saturday, 2-10:30pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate the art of dance with a day full of free activities. Enjoy interactive routines and lessons, free outdoor performances, food for purchase, and more, all culminating in a night of Dancing Under the Stars. See the full schedule on the Kennedy Center website. (FYI: The 2018 National Dance Day routine is set to Kylie Minogue’s newest single “Dancing” in case you want to get familiar with the beat :-).)
Joys of Summer
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Embrace summer in DC this weekend with a host of activities that are best (and, in some cases, only) enjoyed this time of year. Outdoor swimming, sprayground play, concerts under the stars, special museum programs, and movies al fresco are just some of the seasonal fun. Go here for the full scoop on these joys of summer and more.
Secondhand Game Sale
Where: Labyrinth Game Shop | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 6pm
Admission: Free
Labyrinth is hosting its legendary Used Game Sale. The proceeds raised go to buy games for local teachers’ classrooms, support the shop’s game class aftercare program, and add new games to the demo library. The sale includes a live and silent auction on the first day, and a rummage sale on the second day.
Montgomery County Farm Tour
Where: Montgomery County Farms | Montgomery County, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Learn about agricultural heritage, promote local farms, and indulge in seasonally fresh food as Montgomery County celebrates the 29th Annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale. Activities will vary from farm to farm, but several will have hayrides, pony rides, music, animals to visit, and other activities planned. All 19 participating farms will be open Saturday, and 13 will reopen on Sunday, so be sure to check the website for the schedule before you go.
Show Time
Where: Venues around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by show
* Tinker Bell is lighting up the stage at Adventure Theatre — and Friday evening is a special “Dress like a Fairy” performance!
* Follow the yellow brick road to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at Synetic Theatre
* Enjoy entertainment on the outdoor stage as the Marland Youth Ballet performs Rumpelstiltskin at Wolf Trap’s Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods on Saturday
* Arts on the Horizon brings a magical, interactive adventure to Strathmore with To the Clouds
* The Olney Theatre presents The Pirates of Penzance & HMS Pinafore and families are encouraged to see it!
* You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is on the Imagination Stage
* And little ones will love Paper Dreams at the theatre in Bethesda
* See a fairytale classic on strings as The Puppet Co. presents Snow White and the 7 Dwarves
* And Clowning Around is the featured Tiny Tots show at the puppet theater on Sunday
* Teen ages and up will enjoy Second City’s Generation Gap at the Kennedy Center
* Dave, adapted from the Oscar-nominated film and recommended for ages 13+, recently opened at Arena Stage
Family Mindfulness
Where: Freer|Sackler Gallery
When: Saturday, 10:30am 12pm & 1–2:30pm
Admission: Free
Beat the heat with little ones during this summer meditation series. Take a moment to pause and reflect in front of lush landscapes and other storied artworks in the museum’s permanent collection. Admire the natural beauty in the Freer courtyard with a series of facilitated activities to help deepen self-awareness. Then slow things down and experience guided breathing, storytelling, and other beginner-friendly mindfulness techniques led by instructors from Yoga District. Be ready to move in comfy clothes. Mats are provided. For ages 4+ with adult companions.
Tour the Fun House
Where: National Building Museum | Judiciary Square, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $16/adult, $13/age 3-17, free/members
Jump in, literally, to fun at the Building Museum’s annual Summer Block Party. This year’s exhibition, Fun House, was created by Snarkitecture, the same group that brought us The Beach a few years ago. It’s full of clever details and neat features that welcome all ages to engage and enjoy. It even comes with a big backyard pool, and visitors are invited to take a dip!
Freedomfest DC: A Block Party
Where: THEARC | Anacostia, DC
When: Saturday, 12-3pm
Admission: Free
The Brady Campaign is hosting a neighborhood block party at THEARC on Saturday to bring DC residents together in support of preventing gun violence. All ages are welcome to attend the event that will include free food, music, a bounce house, crafts, voter registration, and a chance to hear from Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton.
DC United vs. Colorado Rapids
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Saturday, 8pm
Admission: Tickets start at $25
Kick it at a soccer game on Saturday evening, as the DC United host the Colorado Rapids. Word has it the new stadium is awesome. And if you go a little early, there should be some pre-match pop-ups and activities on the plaza.
Museum Morning
Where: Hirshhorn Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Free
There’s all kinds of fun for little ones at the Hirshhorn this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday from 10am – 2pm, enjoy the Library + Art Pop-Up and find a cart in the galleries and check out a fun kit full of our favorite finds for kids. And be sure to stop in the Sculpture Garden outside and add a wish to Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree for Washington!
Newsflash: Free Admission for Kids!
Where: Newseum | Pennsylvania Ave., DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $24.95/adult, FREE for kids
Take advantage of free admission for kids to the Newseum while you can! The annual Summer Fun Deal, which runs through Labor Day, waives the entrance fee for youth with one paid adult admission. The deal benefits kids ages 7 and up most, since children 6 and under always get in free, and much of the Newseum’s collection will be better appreciated by older children. It’s a fantastic museum, one of my favorites in DC! Worth the admission fee — which is actually good for two days — but you can also find a discount here.
Happy Nappy Storytelling
Where: Sankofa | Petworth, DC
When: Sunday, 11am
Admission: Free
Enjoy an afternoon of free fun for the whole family with Sankofa and The Happy Nappy Storytellers! This free children’s literacy program that takes place on the last Sunday of every month, and this session will include a creative reading of Atinuke’s Baby Goes to Market, followed by a paper basket weaving activity with Mama Page. Best for children ages 3-7.
Kidz Graffiti Party
Where: ArtJamz | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Sunday, 12-2pm
Admission: $10
Get messy like a street artist at a Kidz Graffiti Party! Join ArtJamz for their first-ever event of its kind. Children of all ages are invited to paint their very own masterpieces on the ArtJamz walls. The lounge will be open for accompanying parents, and they’ll be playing jamming tunes to inspire all the little artist. Afterwards, your family can purchase additional studio time and canvas and let your vision come to life off the wall. To participate, register online for the $10 Kidz Graffiti Party. Tickets include a 1-hour Graffiti Pass with unlimited access to paints and art materials.
Shark Bites & Brews
Where: The Wharf | Southwest DC
When: Sunday, 1-4pm
Admission: Free, but plan to spend on food & drinks
Head to DC’s new beautiful waterfront area to help celebrate the longest-running summer TV series! Wind down Shark Week at The Wharf on Sunday with some special festivities, including ocean-themed drinks, games, and live music, as well as a mechanical shark to snap pics in front of throughout the afternoon.
Indoor Playgrounds
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
If the kids have a lot of energy to expend, but the weather isn’t conducive to outdoor action, there are places around the area that will feel like havens. Read about them in this round-up of play spaces where, in some cases, they can literally bounce off the walls.
Do the Crab Walk
Where: Eastern Shore, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Depends on how much you order!
It’s not a true DC summer if you don’t take advantage of one of the area’s best offerings: blue crabs! Feasting on the steamed Old Bay-spiced creatures is a seasonal treat, and doing so at a waterfront crab house on the Chesapeake Bay is a bonus. Kentmorr’s has become a fave with a great beach scene to go with the fare. Cantler’s in Annapolis is an institution, and Mike’s Crab House in Riva is popular with delicious crabs, gorgeous scenery, and a great outdoor waiting area if tables aren’t immediately available. After your feast, head into downtown Annapolis for ice cream at Kilwin’s and a stroll around!
The Ins and Outs of DC
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by adventure
If you’re looking for activities outdoors or inside, depending on the weather or simply your preference, these posts are chock full of evergreen pursuits:
The Great Indoors
The Best Places in the DC Area to Enjoy a Beautiful Day Outdoors with the Kids
***MORE GOOD STUFF TO KNOW***
* A Georgetown University graduate student is looking for parents to complete a about DC schools for her capstone project.
* Kids and adults can learn to fly with Trapeze School New York – DC! They offer trapeze, trampoline, and aerial arts classes for ages 6 and up.
* The next batch of free tickets for Carne Y Arena, the incredible virtual reality immigration experience for tween ages and up, will be released Wednesday, August 1, at 8am.
* Want to attend an advanced screening of Dog Days, a hilarious and heartfelt ensemble comedy that follows the lives of multiple dog owners and their beloved fluffy pals around sunny Los Angeles? Go here to get a FREE pair of passes for a sneak preview on August 8, 7pm, at Mazza Galleri. (Hurry…supply limited to 25 pairs of tickets).